Back in the LBC days (“Life Before Children,”) a long, summer weekend meant a much-needed break--sleeping-in, relaxation, ahhhhh.... Now, these 3-day “free” days often mean a scramble to find family-friendly activities to entertain a crew without breaking the bank.  That’s why you have us.  This weekend we’ve got your family festivals, your garden parties, your raptor tours, your parades, your snake-handling sessions...but wait, there’s more! Check out our list of Memorial Day celebrations and crafts, too.  And no need to thank us.  We’re right there with you. Believe us.

The unofficial kick off of summer starts this weekend. From fun festivals and tooting trains to air shows and parades, we’ve got some amazing events that you’ll want to be a part of this Memorial Day weekend. In addition to some festivities, we have also found events where you can honor the brave men and women who proudly serve our county. And if you are in a planning mood, check out our post on Long Island CSAs so you can guarantee your family some of the best summer picnics ever. Have a wonderful weekend.

Eliza, a mother of 3 living in Litchfield County, had an inspirational moment one day while grocery shopping. Tired of the usual meatballs, burgers and Bolognese rotation, she has begun a quest to cook authentic ethnic meals from a different region each week. Last time was Spain and this week is Israel.

With typical Israeli bravado, all the websites and cookbooks I perused insinuated that although the recipes were excellent, the dishes could not possibly be as delicious without access to the fresh fruits and vegetables found in the Israeli markets. And having seen those markets and tasted the produce, I understand the pride.  However, with a trip to my well stocked local health food store, New Mornings in Woodbury, I managed to make some delicious Israeli meals.

Israeli cuisine finds its origins in the wide swath of fertile to barren land from northern and eastern Europe down through the Middle East across northern Africa and into Spain.  And because the recipes traveled with immigrants, many carry stories and traditions.There were websites galore featuring Israeli recipes, but I ended up enjoying the dishes from one cookbook the most. 

Not yet honey.” My grandmothers voice made waiting seem easy. “Now honey, let me show you what squash should look like when it’s ready to picked”. She took my hand and led me to a bright, plump, yellow squash. I’ll never forget the sense of community and belonging I felt helping my grandmother in the garden. Helping to create a sense of community, belonging, family and partnership is also the goal of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. CSA farms are totally or partially backed my members who pay in advance for an allocation of weekly fresh produce. Some CSA farms have farmers or experienced agriculturalists who grow and harvest the produce for members, and some farms invite members to take part in the process so that they can help to plant, harvest and grow the produce themselves. Long Island is home to some of the nation's finest CSA farms, and we've gathered some great ones here for you to check out.

I've got a two-year-old and baby No. 2 on the way, so picking a double stroller is one of many things on my to-do list. If you’re in the same boat, or if you're expecting twins, you're probably looking online and on the street to see what other moms of multiples are pushing.

But for the ultimate advice, I went to the best experts I could think of: the 30-plus members of my weekly Upper West Side mothers' group. Here's a roundup of the double strollers they use, and what they really think of them.

Are you ready for summer? We're not just talking about summer camp (although if you're in the market for a day or sleep away program, now's the time to register your kids). We mean picnics, outdoor sports and swimming, and other seasonal activities.

Of course spring isn't quite over yet, which means we still have strawberry picking and various festivals and Memorial Day weekend trips to look forward to.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

We've known for a while now that Brooklyn is the borough for fancy ice cream. Blue Marble and Van Leeuwen serve hormone-free dairy while Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is famous for its eight classic flavors made in small batches.

Now there's a new purveyor on the block: Ample Hills Creamery in Prospect Heights, New York City's first ice cream parlor that makes its signature sweets totally from scratch on-site.

After a few delays, the shop is scheduled to debut early next week. (Call ahead to be sure it's open: 718-670-3346.) We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the parlor last month, and we're still screaming for the ice cream.